The Woolly Hackberry Aphid Shivaphis Celti Das (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
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New alien aphid discovered in South Africa: the woolly hackberry aphid Shivaphis celti Das (Hemiptera: Aphididae) J.H. Giliomee1*, I.M. Millar2 & D. Visser3 1Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602 South Africa 2Biosystematics Division, ARC-Plant Health & Protection, Private Bag X134, Queenswood, Pretoria, 0121 South Africa 3ARC-VOPI Roodeplaat Pretoria, 0121 South Africa An alien aphid was discovered in a Pretoria gar- East and Central Asia (Quednau & Remaudière den on Celtis sinensis Pers (Chinese hackberry) in 1985; Halbert & Choate 1998; Lawson & Dreistadt May 2016. In February 2017 it was also observed on 2014). In 1996 it was noticed for the first time in C. africana Burm.f. (white stinkwood) in Boksburg, Georgia, U.S.A. (Lawson 2002) and subsequently Gauteng. It was identified as the Asian woolly from Florida to Texas, and northward to Illinois. hackberry aphid Shivaspis celti Das (Hemiptera: A characteristic of the species is the secretion of Aphididae), not previously found in Africa. bluish white wax, which covers the body and gives Slide-mounted voucher specimens are deposited the appearance of fuzzy white patches where the as accession number AcAm 1021 in the South Afri- aphids occur on the underside of leaves (Fig. 1A, can National Collection of Insects (Agricultural B) and shoot terminals. The insects also produce Research Council - Plant Health and Protection, copious amounts of honeydew on which the sooty Pretoria). mould fungus grows. The new introduction is a native to China and Morphologically outstanding features are the Fig. 1. Shivaphis celti. A, Colony on foliage of Celtis sp.; B, adult female alate covered in flocculent white wax; C, forewing showing pigmentation along veins; D, wax pore-plates (example arrowed) on abdominal dorsum of adult female alate. *Author for correspondence. E-mail: [email protected] Received 13 June 2017. Accepted:12 January 2018 ISSN 1021-3589 [Print]; 2224-8854 [Online] African Entomology 26(1): 242–243 (2018) DOI: https://doi.org/10.4001/003.026.0242 ©Entomological Society of Southern Africa Short communications 243 striped appearance of the antennae, the dark bor- on twig buds at branch terminals (Lawson & ders of the forewing veins (Fig. 1C), the presence Dreistadt 2014). of conspicuous wax glands on the abdomen, and The new species most likely arrived in South the knobbed finger-like cauda (Fig. 1D). The shape Africa as overwintering eggs on legally or illegally of the cauda will distinguish S. celti from Shivaphis introduced plant material. The constant introduc- catalpinari Quednau & Remaudière (Quednau & tion of new and often pestiferous insect species is a Remaudière 1985). cause for concern, as discussed by Giliomee (2011). The species of the aphid genus Shivaphis are The aphids are attacked by local aphid preda- found primarily on Celtis spp. (Halbert & Choake tors, such as the adults and larvae of ladybirds and 1998). In the U.S.A. it infests the widely grown syrphid fly larvae, but their action may not result Chinese hackberry (Lawson & Dreistadt 2014) in sufficient control, and the use of a contact or and Celtis laevigata Willd. Chinese hackberry is a systemic insecticide may be necessary. In Califor- species grown in South African home gardens and nia (U.S.A.) imidacloprid is applied after flowering parks, together with the indigenous C. africana. (Lawson & Dreistadt 2014). Although Celtis spp. Chinese hackberry is known in South Africa as the are wind pollinated, application after flowering Chinese nettle tree. will reduce possible adverse effects on flower The main problem caused by the aphid seems to visitors. An attempt to introduce parasitoids be the messy mixture of sooty mould and sticky from China into the U.S.A. was unsuccessful (A.B. honeydew found on surfaces beneath infested Lawson, pers. comm. to senior author). trees, as there was no serious damage to the trees Suggested common names for Shivaphis celti: after years of aphid infestations (Lawson & woolly nettle tree aphid and ‘wollerige witstink- Dreistadt 2014). houtplantluis’ (Afrikaans). In the U.S.A., the winged or wingless adult females of S. celti reproduce most of the season ACKNOWLEDGEMENT while leaves of the host plant are present. In autumn, winged males appear. Mating takes place The senior author wishes to thank E. de Beer for in autumn, and overwintering eggs are deposited bringing the Boksburg infestation to his attention. REFERENCES GILIOMEE, J.H. 2011. Recent establishment of many Center for Invasive Species Research, University of alien insects in South Africa – a cause for concern. California, Riverside, CA, U.S.A. African Entomology 19: 151–155. http:\\cisr.ucr.edu/hackberry.html [Accessed 21 June HALBERT, S.E. & CHOATE, P.M. 1998. An Asian woolly 2017]. hackberry aphid, Shivaphis celti Das (Homoptera: LAWSON, A.B. & DREISTADT, S.H. 2014. Hackberry Aphididae). Entomology Circular 392, Florida Depart- Woolly Aphid. Pest Notes 74111. IPM Education & ment of Agriculture & Consumer Services. 2 pp. Publications, UC Statewide IPM Program, University HALBERT,S.E., REMAUDIÈRE, G. & WEBB, S. 2000. New- of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A. 3 pp. ly established and rarely collected aphids (Homo- QUEDNAU, F.W. & REMAUDIÈRE, G. 1985. Une nou- ptera: Aphididae) in Florida and south-eastern velle espèce du genre Shivaphis Das de Turquie United States. The Florida Entomologist 83: 79–91. (Homoptera: Aphididae). Canadian Entomologist 117: LAWSON, A.B. 2002. Asian woolly hackberry aphid. 227–232. Copyright of African Entomology is the property of Entomological Society of Southern Africa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use..